The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-05-08
SOURCE AND CAUSE OF TBE
CLAMOR FORTS
Enforcement --Laughhble Incidebts
efthe Investigation at Atlanta
Two Witnesses Dissectel.
MILK OF THE COC0ANUP AT
MOBILE AND NEW ORLEANS.
Mr.. bow, With His Coal OIL Dis.
ordinations, Goes on a Wild
Goose Chase.


people who came here to present
the numerous claims OF their several
committees have generally returned
to their homes. Mr.. Il. b. Stahl-
man, vice president of the Louisville
and Nashville, remained over to look
after some other matters. Mr..
Stahlman represented the Louisville
and Nashville railroad at the various
points visited by the commission and
also largely conducted the railroad
side OF the Investigation on behalf OF
the Southern roads, comprising the
Southern Railway and Steamship
Association. He was found at the Gay
oso Hotel Friday night by areporter
OF the APPEAL, who asked him what
he thought of the character and
scope Of the testimony elected at the
several points. Mr.. Stahlman re-
Piled
1T was almost entirely one way,
in favor of the suspension of the
fourth llong and short hauD clause
OF the act, The commercial bodies
OF all the trade centers OF the South
came forward as a unit in favor of
suspension, and the people from in
terror towns who expressed them.
selves at all did the same. AT the
Atlanta meeting there we're but two
persons who opposed the suspension,
one named Norcross, an antiquated
lawyer, who during life had made it
a rule to get on the opposite side of
every question, and another named
Hill, who called himself a farmer,
whose testimony upon rigid cross
examination, coupled with the state
ments OF those who knew him, de-
veloped the fact that he was broken
down politician who had never done
q days work on farm in his life.
THE city of Savannah, Ga, OPP
posed suspension, but it was general
ly known that the merchants of that
city believed strict enforcement of
the law would cripple interior. trade
oenters dependent on long hauls to
and from those markets and thus
greatly benefit Savannah, q near by
port. | am sure the commission
perfectly understood and appreciated
this phase Of the question"
How was it at Mobile?" asked the
reporter
very much the same" said Mr..
1.-THE testimony from all
portions of Alabama and Missis-
sippi favored a suspension and the
Mobile Board Of Trade, composed of
he mercantile interest, likewise ia
Yored suspension. The Cotton Tx
,hange, by vote Of 10 to 2, opposed
! suspension. 1t was stated, how
over, that the seven who favored
represent 81 per cent. of
the capital engaged in the trade. The
Fruit and Vegetable Growers Asso-
OF Alabama, which has its
in Mobile, urgently
prayed for a suspension. A rather
thing was developed in the
Of one of the cotton men
who wanted the law enforced. He
talked loud, long and eloquently for
enforcement, claiming that the rail-
roads had not done right by Mobile
in the transportation OF cotton A
cross examination of this man de-
veloped the fact that while he talked
cotton and prated about Mobile, he
had been out of business for several
years and was not devoting a dollar
OF his capital, or tithe Of his ener-
gy, TO help the trade in any form.
How about New Orleans2"
swell, New Orleans is a queer
city. They have queer ways, In many
respects the city has very great ad-
vantages, and her merchants are alive
and aggressive. The business men
there incline to the opinion that tho
interior cities are being favored, aud
that the enforcement OF the long and
short haul against them will be
obliged to help New Orleans. There
was some complaint about the rates
Of railroad transportation, but the
remarkable fact was developed that
charges on bale of cotton from the
time it left the cars at New Orleans
until it was loaded on board OF a
steamer received a tax, including
carriage, commissions, insurance,
ETC., Of about 81 per bale-at least 81
per cent. more than the average
charge made by the railroads for car
rying the cotton to New Orleans. In
other words, that the charges Of va
rious kinds incurred at New Orleans
were greater than the entire trans
portation charges collected on New
Orleans cotton by all the railroads
combined"
"What do you think of the inves-
tigation at MemphisH
VI am we'll pleased with it. You
Memphis people deserve very great
credit for the business like manner
in which the claims of Memphis are
presented. The memorial gives a
statement of facts which will be Of
great value to the commission"
What have you to say to Mr.,
Dow's statement in regard to dis
ordinations in oil?"
IF Mr.. Dow has any basis for
such complaint he ought to put II
in different form. The commission
did not come to Memphis to try
charges of discrimination, but to as.
certain whether or not the long and
short haul provisions of the
fourth section of the act
should be permanently sus.
pended. This section does not
treat on the question of discrimina-
ton. ltisproper, however, to say that
Mr.. Dow has no case. Ii am cor.
rectly informed, the rates we charge
him are open and charged alike ia
all shippers. Mr.. BOWS complaint
did not worry US. 1t would have
shown an extraordinary condition Of
things If the Investigation concern.
ing the railroad systems of clever
States should have developed nc
complaint from any source. TIL,
millennium has not yet come, and un
til then we may reasonably expect Il